Baseball practice device

ABSTRACT

An elongated resilient element extends vertically between and is connected with an upper and lower support. A ball having a diametric bore surrounds the resilient element intermediate its ends. A lock means, within the bore of the ball, grips the resilient element and prevents relative movement between the resilient element and ball.

Patented April 24, 1973 FIG I BASEBALL PRACTICE DEVICE CROSS REFERENCETO RELATED APPLICATION This invention is a continuation-in-part of anapplication filed by me in the'United States Patent Office on Oct. 6,1969, Ser. No. 864,852 for Baseball Practice Device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field ofthe invention.

The present invention relates to a ball game device wherein a captiveball, after being struck in batting practice, is returned to itsposition of repose.

One of the important requirements in achieving proficiency in batting apitched ball is training the batters eye to follow the ball andcoordinate the batters muscular action for bringing the bat into contactwith the ball. To be able to bat a thrown ball well requires developmentof the batters wrist action and a strengthing of the arm muscles. I havefound that proficiency in batting balls may be more easily gained bypersons of all ages wherein the ball being batted is anchored or heldcaptive by a resilient element so that the batter may individuallypractice batting balls and need not spend time retrieving the ball.

2. Description of the prior art.

The most pertinent prior patent is US. Pat. No. 1,554,409 whichdiscloses a ball slidably supported diametrically by a verticallydisposed run of cable entrained, at its respective end portions, overpullies and secured to horizontal spring members mounted on a supportframe.

The principal distinction between this invention and this patent is theuse of an elongated resilient element which diametrically extendsthrough and supports the ball between vertically spaced supports whereina lock means secures the ball to the resilient element at a selectedposition thus preventing movement of the ball relative to the resilientelement in response to an upwardly or downwardly directed force impartedto the ball when struck by the bat.

This invention is distinctive over the above referred to application bysubstituting the resilient element for the spring members and by thelock means securing the ball to the resilient element.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An elongated resilient cord-like elementextends, under slight tension, vertically between and is secured at itsrespective ends to upper and lower supports. A diametrically bored ballsurrounds the resilient element intermediate its ends and is adjustablysecured to the resilient element by a lock means within the bore of theball impinging the cord against the wall forming the bore of the ball. 7

When the ball is struck in a lateral direction by a bat the resilientelement yields in accordance with the force applied by the bat. A sheathsurrounds the resilient element and normally prevents stretching theresilient element beyond its yield point.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a baseball battingpractice device which holds a baseball captive and returns it toward aposition of repose following each time the ball is struck by a bat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sideelevational view of the device illustrating, by dotted lines, the actionof the ball on its supporting element when struck by a bat;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectionalview, to a larger scale,taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, to a further enlarged scale, of thelocking means per se; and,

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view, to a further enlargedscale, of the resilient element.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Like characters of referencedesignate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which theyoccur.

In the drawings:

The reference numerals l0 and 11, respectively, indicate verticallyspaced upper and lower supports between which the device, indicatedgenerally at 12, is suspended. The lower support 1 1 may be a floor orany horizontal surface on which the user, not shown, stands. The uppersupport 10 may be the ceiling or any portion of a building structuredisposed a substantial distance above the users head so that the spacingbetween the upper and lower supports provides ample space about thevertical axis of the device 12 for freedom of movement of the user whenswinging a bat.

The device 12 comprises an elongated cord-like resilient element 14,such as latex rubber 16, or the like, preferably surrounded by aresilient sheath comprising a synthetic'thread woven covering, such asis presently marketed under the trade mark Nylon, indicated at 18 (FIG.5). I have found that a satisfactory size of the element 14 is inchdiameter by approximately 12 feet along. The respective ends of theelement 14 may be connected in any suitable manner to the upper andlower supports 10 and 11, such as by tying them to eye-screws 20.

A ball, preferably a conventional baseball 22, is diametrically bored,as at 24, with the diameter of the bore 24 substantially equal to thediameter of the element 14 in its position of repose. The bore 24 of theball surrounds the element 14 at a selected position intermediate itsends. As is well understood when the resilient element 14 is elongated,as by stretching, its diameter is proportionally reduced which wouldtend to permit the ball 22 to move along the cord when the ball is hitby a bat, not shown, in a lateral and slightly upward or downwarddirection, therefore, to maintain the ball at a selected positionintermediate the length of the element 14 a lock means 26 is positionedwithin the bore 24.

The locking means 26 comprises an elongated length of rigid material 28,rectangular strap-like in general appearance, having a length less thanthe diameter of the ball and a width substantially equal to the diameterof the bore 24 and a thickness on the order of one-third its width. Aseries of transverse projections are formed on one flat surface of thestrap-like member 28 adjacent its respective end portions forminglongitudinally aligned spaced-apart rows of teeth 30 and 32.

The length of each row 30 and 32 is substantially equal to onetthird thelength of the member 28. The opposite surface or face of the strap-likemember 28 is provided with a similar row of projections medially itsends extending approximately one-third its length and disposed oppositethe spacing between the end portion teeth rows 30 and 32.

The locking means 26 is inserted in the bore 24 by manually stretchingthe element 14, placing the rows of teeth 30 and 32 in longitudinalcontact with a portion of the element 14 at one end of the bore andforcing the lock means 26 into the bore to the position shown by FIG. 2.In this position the row of teeth 34 frictionally engage and extend intothe resilient, normally cork, material forming the ball 22 while theother rows of teeth 30 and 32 engage the resilient element 14 which isdeformed, by its contractile tendency, to fill the spacing between aportion of the bore wall and adjacent surface of the strap member 28, asshown by FIG. 3. The rows of teeth 30, 32 and 34 thus, tightly engagedwith the material of the ball and the element 14, impinges the element14 against the wall forming the bore 24 and prevents relative movementbetween the ball and the element 14.

Obviously the lock means may be formed of other cross sectionalconfiguration, if desired.

OPERATION In operation the ball 22, secured to the element 14 by thelocking means 26, as disclosed hereinabove, is supported by the upperand lower supports and 11. The tension on the element 14 is preferablykept to a minimum to allow maximum lateral movement of the ball whenstruck. The batter may then strike the ball with the bat, not shown,which moves the ball in a lateral direction, as indicated by the dottedlines in FIG. 1, wherein the resiliency of the element 14 tends toreturn it to its solid line position. After assembling the ball andlocking device 26 on the element 14, the

ball may be moved to a different position, intermediate the ends of theelement, by manually stretching the element 14 in a longitudinaldirection to reduce its diameter so that it may be manually forced in asliding action through the bore 24 and longitudinally across the rows ofteeth 30 and 32. When the tension on the element 14 is released, aftermoving the ball along the element 14, its resiliency returns it to theconfiguration of FIG. 2.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to changes or alterations withoutdefeating its practicability, therefore, I do not wish to be confined tothe preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein.

l claim: l. A baseball practice device, comprising: upper and lowervertically spaced supports;

an elongated resilient element extending between and connected with saidsupports; a ball having a diametric bore surrounding said resilientelement intermediate its ends; and, lock means comprising an elongatedmember having a series of oppositely disposed outstanding projectionsformed thereon closely received by the bore of said ball and impinging aportion of said resilient element against the wall forming the bore insaid ball for preventing relative movement between said ball and saidresi lient element, I said series of PlOJBCtlOIlS forming a pair oflongituan elongated resilient sheath formed of synthetic materialsurrounding said resilient element.

1. A baseball practice device, comprising: upper and lower verticallyspaced supports; an elongated resilient element extending between andconnected with said supports; a ball having a diametric bore surroundingsaid resilient element intermediate its ends; and, lock means comprisingan elongated member having a series of oppositely disposed outstandingprojections formed thereon closely received by the bore of said ball andimpinging a portion of said resilient element against the wall formingthe bore in said ball for preventing relative movement between said balland said resilient element, said series of projections forming a pair oflongitudinally aligned rows of teeth disposed respectively at therespective end portions of said elongated member and engaging saidresilient element and a third row of teeth intermediate the ends of saidelongated member longitudinally engaging a portion of the wall formingthe bore of said ball.
 2. A practice device according to claim 1 andfurther including: an elongated resilient sheath formed of syntheticmaterial surrounding said resilient element.